1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an insulation covering stripping device for removing the insulation covering of wires, wherein the wires are assembled as an electrical harness with a contact-type connector at their one end, and with their other ends being free from the connector. The insulation covering stripping device, hereinafter referred to merely as the stripping device, is adapted for use in association with an automatic apparatus for manufacturing electrical harnesses.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently semi-automatic or fully automatic apparatus for producing such harnesses have been developed, typical examples of which are disclosed in Japanese Patent Kokai (unexamined Publication) No. 58(1983)-145080, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,136,440 and 4,310,967.
The finished electrical harness has electrical conductors covering with an insulation covering at its connector-free end, and when the harness is used, it is necessary to remove the insulation covering so that the electrical conductors are connected to circuits and instruments. To remove the insulation covering automatically, a stripping device is provided in the system for manufacturing electrical harnesses. Under the conventional system, however, the stripping process is carried out independently of the other processes, such as the wire length measuring process and the connector attaching process. In order to shorten the operation time, it is required for the stripping process to be carried out at the same time as when other processes are performed.
Furthermore, it is required that the uncovered electrical conductors have varying lengths. However, the conventional stripping device is constructed so as to remove the insulation covering to one predetermined length. This is sometimes inconvenient; for example, when the conductors are soldered they can be 5 mm or so in length, whereas, when they are wrapped, they must be as long as 20 to 30 mm; otherwise, the wrapping would be impossible.